I did know at the time, but, alas, I've forgotten. If anyone has access to the relevant issue of Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, the information might be in there.

Fr. Serge

Here is the sort of thing I am worried about.
On page 9 of "Service Book" (Hapgood 6th Edition) in Great Vespers there is this

[quote]Again we pray for (the Ruler of the Land ...); for his might, victory, maintenance, peace, health, salvation; and that the Lord out God will abundantly aid and prosper him in all things, and [b]subdue under his feet every foe and adversary[/b].[/quote]

Now if you plug in the name of various 20th century apostate Rulers in Ukraine, along with the names of the groups of people they stated were their "foes and adversaries" you get some sickening results.
For example:
Ruler=Lenin/Stalin, stated adversaries=Kulaks/Priests
Ruler=Hitler, stated adversaries=Jews/uncooperative Slavs

If a Greek-rite priest in Ukraine found himself under one of these Rulers and was supposed to use this form of prayer, was he at liberty to omit such commemorations of the Ruler (for instance if the priest knew the Nazis intended to "subdue" the Jews in his parish)? Or do such changes have to await instructions from the bishop?
I suppose if the priest knew about Benedict XIV's Ex Quo, he could utilise the instruction not to commemorate a heretic.

I notice a certain circuity in this discussion, which seems to be continually seeking to refocus on identifying priestly failings in commemorating secular leaders whose politics, beliefs, and/or practices were particularly repugnant, odious, sinful - what have you. It's a certainty that some wretched cleric, somewhere, of most any church or denomination that one might name, prayed for, commemorated, or gave thanks for acts by dictators that would repulse most God-fearing people. Is it essential that we root out the identity of such persons? No, because judgement is not ours, but the Lord's.

I think the subject has been adequately explored and given that witch-hunting is passe, the thread is closed.

Many years,

Neil